Kleiber/VPO: Beethoven 9th - German Decca LXT 2725/26 (deluxe ed.)
$
50
Favourite Auctions
To save auctions to your favourites, please login
If you don't have an account, please register
Description
ITEM DESCRIPTION:
This beautiful and quite elusive deluxe 2LP set from Decca (LXT 2725/26, German pressing, orange/gold labels, mono, heavy canvas spiral-bound album) features conductor Erich Kleiber’s resplendent account of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor Op. 125 “Choral”.
A note on the production values of this particular issue: In my humble opinion, this issue is much more handsome and impressive than the more familiar box set with Schuricht’s VPO account of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1. The album is of heavy, high-quality canvas, the paper of even higher quality grade, with a sort of marble finish to it. There are liner notes (uncredited), as well as Schiller’s vocal texts, both provided in German only.
PLEASE NOTE: This listing carried the “best offer” feature; I would ask potential buyers to keep in mind that shipping really isn’t “free”. Packaged for delivery, this set will certainly weigh over 1 kg, and thus shipping outside of Europe will be approximately $45 USD. This will influence, to some extent, my willingness to accept a lower price. Possibly I can be more flexible with interested European buyers as shipping within the EU will be more reasonable.
Recorded during 1-5 June 1952 in the Grosser Saal of Vienna’s Musikverein, Kleiber leads a starry lineup of soloists – soprano Hilde Güden, contralto Siegliende Wagner, tenor Anton Dermota, bass Ludwig Weber, the Staatsopernchor, and the redoubtable Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
Kleiber’s Ninth has generally been overshadowed by the near-contemporaneous efforts of Furtwangler (HMV) and Toscanini (RCA), but it is a reading that gains upon repeated hearing, revealing a noble stature squarely at odds with the rather muted reception often afforded it.
As one would expect from so gifted a opera conductor as Kleiber, the singing is thrillingly expressive and immediate, and the Decca engineers have well-balanced the large choral forces in the 4th Movement.
CONDITION - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:
The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.
The condition of the jacket is VERY GOOD. There is a bend/crush to the lower-left corner, some minor bumping at the other corners, and mild discoloration, but that is all. There are no seamsplits, owners' markings, or other defects, and the album remains solid, bright, and very attractive – overall, a very good collector's copy.
The condition of the 2 LPs is VERY GOOD to EXCELLENT throughout. Visually, the orange/gold labels are somewhat faded. In terms of sound, although the surfaces are not CD silent, really the playback is quite fine, perhaps a bit more surface noise in the 3rd Mvt. Thus, those requiring absolutely silent surfaces are kindly advised to look elsewhere. Overall, these rate as very good collector's copies.
The images I've provided are of the actual item you are potentially bidding on - these are not stock images or images I've taken from other sites. Bid with confidence!
PAYMENT:
Payment by PayPal is greatly preferred. Payment should be made within 5 days.
SHIPPING:
Shipping is free to anywhere in the world; this is true regardless of the number of LPs you buy, be it 1 or a 100. All LPs will be sent via standard airmail (7-10 days delivery). Note: There is no tracking number provided with standard airmail. Should you wish to have your item(s) sent via certified airmail (i.e., with a tracking number), please contact me. The fee for this $5.00 USD.
FEEDBACK:
I will promptly leave feedback for all buyers. Please do not leave negative, or even neutral, feedback without first giving me an opportunity to resolve any dissatisfaction you might have with an item or transaction. I do understand that, on occasion, a buyer might believe the item description to be inaccurate or that a buyer may be disappointed in some other way regarding the sale. I promise I will do my very best to resolve any unhappiness you've experienced in your buying experience with me to your complete satisfaction. Thank you.
REFUNDS:
Returns are honored, and any buyer you makes a return will be refunded in full. Please contact me before making a return.
Please see my other classical LP and CD auctions, and feel free to write with any questions, I'll be glad to help.
price rating
